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Hi All,
So I have what I think is a great idea for a sports themed tournament. The concept is basically around civic pride. Each team will represent their own community.

Long story short, I made contact with a local celebrity and he is the perfect person to pitch the idea to because this individual can really give the tournament great credibility and exposure. And if nothing else this person can put me in contact with other great resorces.

So here is my delima - I want to pitch the idea to my contact but how can I protect my idea from being stolen?

I know there is no easy answer for this one. I dont think that you can patent an idea for an event plus Im sure somewhere in the world my tournament concept has been done before. So it may not be original, but Im thinking on a much grander scale.
Any advice?

Im also seeking advise on the best way to present my idea to my contact.

You're right you can't copyright an idea, you can patent a product idea...but that's a different ball game (ha Ha).

Firstly, you are driven to do this, while your contact may or may not want to be part of it...for them to steal your idea they'd have to have the passion and commitment to put in to do it. Most people look at someone's ideas and think 'yeh, that's great. I'd live to be involved, but I don't actually want to do it'.

Secondly, not everyone is out to steal other people's ideas, there is still some integrity in the world...we hope!

Even if someone did steal your idea, I think you need to focus on what you see it being and looking like. 10 people can do the same thing, have the same concept, but they won't be the same, even in the same town. Think about how events are held for various sports as fundraisers etc. No two people do them the same, some do them better, some worse, they come at them from different angles...who's to say if someone else didn't try to do the same thing and you did it better...what s credibility hike for you!!

With regard to presenting your idea:
Tell it in a story. Let your excitement about the idea show through as you tell them how it will work, why and when. Tell them why you think they'd be great as the ambassador for the event (without blowing smoke their way...if you know what I mean)

Try and show them why this is such a great idea, in terms of what you're trying to create...benefits to the community, personal benefits for the entrants.

You can also do a presentation folder, with an outline of the concept, information you've already gathered, photos (if appropriate), or a computer generated mock-up. Ask if they've got any suggestions on improving on your idea. Do you have suggestions for business sponsors and how you'll advertise, if relevant.

There are a couple of ways to protect your ideas or intellectual property.

Option #1: The first option is to copyright or patent your idea with the US patent and trademark office, but this option is usually very time consuming, costly (filing and attorney fees), and it could take years for your idea to be approved by the government.

Option #2: You can DocVerify your idea or intellectual property. So, what is DocVerify? It is a service that business owners and individuals can use to quickly securely time stamp documents, and in your case ideas to pitch to others. Once it has been DocVerify-ed you will be able to prove that at that given point in time, you had the idea in question. For more information about DocVerify click here.

Don't ever give your ideas to others before you have protected yourself. Yes, there is a chance that they won't steal it, but why risk it. DocVerify is inexpensive and fast.

A little about DocVerify:
DocVerify is an ultra secure time stamp e-vault that also enables you to securely e-sign, e-notarize, e-verify, and share documents.